Giants Talk - Retrospective Edition: A championship for a lifetime

The Giants create their own history and derail Patriot perfection.

Carl had no idea what to expect going into Super Bowl XLII. What ended up happening was one of the greatest nights of my sporting life. Somehow, (after recovering from a long night of celebrating and taking off work the next day) I sat down and attempted to retell this amazing story in its entirety. BE AWARE, this story is going to last a little while. Get a drink, settle in, and take a few minutes as I tell how the New York Football Giants defied the odds to become World Champions and I how I rediscovered my love for this team.

Originally written February 4, 2008

Perfection is a noun defined in Webster’s Dictionary as having several meanings. One of them is the following:

An exemplification of pure excellence.

However, another definition struck a chord with me:

Freedom from fault or defect.

Through 18 games, the New England Patriots were just that. Perfect. Undefeated. It had never happened in the history of professional football. Leading up to Super Bowl XLII, that was all one was inundated with. Every television show, every newspaper, internet, word on the street. It was everywhere and the only thing that anyone could discuss.

If you did not know any better, perhaps the Patriots were playing against themselves in the Super Bowl instead of the New York Giants.

When Gibril Wilson knocked Tom Brady’s fourth down pass down and out of bounds with one second remaining, one team’s dream of a perfect season ended. The Giants dream of a perfect upset was realized.

Going back to the dictionary to look up the word “upset” shows this meaning:

To defeat unexpectedly.

How ironic.

Putting this victory into words is still indescribable. I will attempt to do so, but finding the superlatives and adjectives to explain possibly the greatest upset in the history of football, if not professional sports, along with one of the greatest nights of sporting fandom is going to be challenging, but it will be the most fun I will probably ever have telling a story.

This long journey started nearly a month ago in Tampa, carried through an amazing upset in Dallas and through extreme subzero (-25) temperatures in Green Bay had brought the Giants to this game and this moment.

All season, the Giants gave new meaning to the term “enigma”.

Eli Manning, who just six weeks ago (yes, six) I felt to be regressing precipitously, now had done a complete 180, now regarded as a “Super Bowl quarterback” (which is actually not saying much when you consider that Stan Humphries and Rex Grossman are also of the same distinction).

A defense that I had ridiculed for years using the words “overrated” and “inept”, had been replaced by the words “inspiring” and “heroic”.

Tom Coughlin, the head coach, who fans and media wanted fired just twelve months ago, put off by his miserly ways, facial expressions and sideline meltdowns during games. He had altered his ways to an extent, but never compromising his core principles. Now his team along with himself was better off. People were beginning to have a newer, fonder appreciation for the man.

Younger players like Ahmad Bradshaw, Steve Smith, Justin Tuck and Aaron Ross have established themselves not only as contributors, but also as core players that can be stars in the league.

No longer was this a team where the main faces were that of Michael Strahan, Tiki Barber and Jeremy Shockey. The old was slowly phasing out, as a new core of Giants were taking shape right in front of our eyes.

Gaining a greater appreciation for guys like Brandon Jacobs and Antonio Pierce that backed up their talking on the field while doing a lot of talking off it.

Seeing someone like Corey Webster, for two years looked like a lost soul, suddenly playing the best football of his career. His great play in Tampa shutting down Joey Galloway, to minimizing the effectiveness of Terrell Owens, to physically dominating Donald Driver.

It is unbelievable how much your thoughts can change on everything (and in some cases, everyone) in the span of 30 days.

Now, here this team was victory away from completing perhaps the greatest postseason run in the history of football, and pulling off possibly one of the greatest upsets in sports history. To be honest, I did not expect to win this game going in. All week, I put the percentage of winning around 25 to 30 percent. That is the reason I chose not to fly down to Arizona and spend the money to go the game.

(SIDE NOTE - Why would I spend $2,000 to see what (at the time) more than likely will be a loss anyway? I would not even get a souvenir outside of keeping the ticket stub. If I thought there was a 50 percent chance, it could be justified.)

The Giants were publicly giving the sense of confidence (false bravado perhaps?). Plaxico Burress even went so far as to predict a “23-17” final score and stood by his conviction.

Considering New England has a way to take a slightest jab as a sign of “lack of respect” and feed off it on the field, storm warnings filled the air. Last thing I was looking for was to agitate an 18-0 team and give them any more ammunition than what they already had. Why take on such unnecessary drama?

The night before, just like I did before the Dallas and Green Bay games, I went back and looked at the video from their previous meeting in week 17. What I needed to find was if there was any way possible the Giants could attack Brady and the Patriots offense.

Charting every defensive play for that game, the conclusion was drawn that the defensive actually played very well except for small instances. Randy Moss was being covered well except for the play where Sam Madison came up lame and James Butler was doing…well, we still do not know. Outside of that, the defense played a very good game.

Needing inspiration, I needed to go back to into my past. In my DVD section was Super Bowl XXV the Giants won against the Buffalo Bills that I decided to watch again in its entirety. Unlike the episode of Everybody Loves Raymond where Ray recorded over his wedding with Debra with this game, no such mistake had been made.

What I had taken from that game was the willingness that Bill Belichick (then the Giants defensive coordinator) had to concede the run to the Bills as a trade for slowing their explosive passing game.

Though Thurman Thomas ran wild, it was effective. Offensively, the Giants held the ball for over 40 minutes and rendered Buffalo’s offensive ineffective the entire game.

Seeing both of these games, I began to think that maybe this upset could be possible. My percentage for winning the game had now gone to around 40 percent, which was the best I could ask for. Of course the Patriots were the better team, but they sure were not 12.5 points better as the Las Vegas odds makers proclaimed over the two weeks leading up to the game.

My formula for winning this game was the following:

1. Play “clock ball” much like in Super Bowl XXV

2. Limit New England’s possessions

3. Stop the Patriots on third down

A quick listen to Al Pacino’s “Game of Inches” speech and it was game time.

The Giants won the coin toss and it had already seemed like a slight victory.

In the first game, the offense took the ball on their opening drive and marched down the field on the Patriots defense for a touchdown. This time, it was about controlling the clock and keeping their offense off the field for a long as possible.

Methodically, as Manning would lead the offense down the field, one could not help but notice the length of time of the drive. On four occasions, they converted on third down that kept the clock moving.

This was playing out exactly the way I was hoping. On third down, Manning’s pass was caught for short yardage and Lawrence Tynes came and hit a 32-yard field goal.

Giants 3, Patriots 0

Though I was upset that they could not get a touchdown, the fact that nearly ten minutes of clock was eliminated was a small victory in itself.

Many wondered if Tom Brady was going to play after suffering an apparent ankle injury in their AFC Championship game against San Diego.

Seriously, can people be that stupid?

If you really thought their was a 1% chance he would not play, then you probably believe in the tooth fairy leaving money under your pillow, and Elvis and Tupac being alive. It was just another way for them to bask in what I refer to as “grotesque media whoreness.”

New England ran a very interesting play on their first possession after Laurence Maroney ran the kickoff back to the 44-yard line. They tried to run a fake reverse and three Giants nearly decapitated Brady on the play as the pass went incomplete. Little did I know at the time how much of a tone that one play set for the game.

After that, Brady, as he had done all season, moved their offense down the field, using all of the different weapons in his arsenal. Antonio Pierce was called for pass interference on tight end Ben Watson for not playing the ball in the end zone. Just when it looked like they had them, once again the Patriots got a reprieve. The penalty set the ball at the one-yard line. Two plays later, Maroney, who set up the drive with his return, punched it into the end zone.

Patriots 7, Giants 3

It appeared that the Giants offense was going to respond. However, the drive came to and when Steve Smith had a first down catch in his hands. But he bobbled it and the ball went into the air just enough for cornerback Ellis Hobbs to intercept it and run it back 30 yards.

This was deflating. Having the Patriots on the ropes, in position to answer their touchdown with one with their own and instead turning the ball over. Luckily, the defense was able to hold them to three plays and force a punt.

Danger nearly struck again on the next possession. On a second down play, Ahmad Bradshaw took the shotgun handoff from Manning and fumbled the ball. Linebacker Pierre Woods appeared to come up with the ball immediately. Somehow, Bradshaw was able to snatch the ball out of the hands of Woods and the Giants miraculously retained the football. A game saving play this early? Perhaps.

When you consider that if the referees give the ball to the Patriots, Brady and his offense takes over inside the 40-yard line and likely go up 14-3. Instead, they are lucky enough to punt the ball to them and try to hold them.

With 1:47 left, the Patriots had all three of their timeouts and the ball at the own twelve yard line. As gallant as the defense had played to this point (only seven points), you had to figure that the greatest offense in the history of football was going to manufacture a way to get points before the half.

Their offense got a couple of first downs and moved in the Giants territory. Once again, though the defense made another big play. Tuck, playing as a beast in the half sped past the offensive line, sacked and stripped the ball from Brady. Referees signaled New York ball with ten seconds remaining. Another battle won by the defense going into intermission.

Halftime – Patriots 7, Giants 3

I listened to Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers play during the Super Bowl Halftime Show,

(SIDE NOTE – Is Petty that old? If he is 57 like I was hearing, that is a damn good job of showing it. He must have gotten the same Botox that John Kerry had when he was running for President back in 2004)

I was reflecting on the first half. The offense was moving the ball a bit, though not the same as in the first game. It was obvious that the Patriots defense had made several adjustments from the first game. They were in their territory on three occasions and only got three points out of it. Definitely not a good situation for the Giants, but if you asked me if I would sign up for the score being 7-3 at halftime, I would have injured my hands signing whatever needed my John Hancock.

Defensively, they were amazing. Pressuring Brady and knocking to the ground numerous times. To my count, he has been hit nine times. Sacked on three other occasions. Randy Moss only has one catch. Before that catch by Donte Stallworth, FOX had showed a graphic that they had put up the second fewest yards in a half since Super Bowl XX when the Patriots redefined the word “suckitude” against the Chicago Bears.

It appeared the Giants had forced the Patriots to punt the ball on their opening second half possession. However, Bill Belichick chose to challenge if the Giants had twelve men on the field before the punt. A replay challenge showed that in fact, linebacker Chase Blackburn had yet to leave the playing field prior to the snap of the ball.

Good grief.

Mistakes, mistakes and more mistakes were giving the Patriots chances that they did not deserve.

Again, the Giants defense came up big as Strahan on a third down and seven sacked Brady for a six-yard loss. This put New England from in reasonable field goal range, into a not-so-easy 51-yard attempt on fourth down. To the amazement of some of us watching (including myself), Belichick elected to go for it. Brady’s pass was wide of its target in the end zone out of bounds, and the Giants took over on downs.

(SIDE NOTE – Though I thought they were crazy to kick a field goal at the time, I understand why they chose to make that move. Stephen Gostkowski had not made a field goal longer than 46 yards the entire season. He had missed several field goals in the playoffs and even sent a kickoff out of bounds in this game. Belichick had no trust in him and felt that his “World’s Greatest Offense” could find a way to steal a first down even though the percentages were not in their favor.)

(ANOTHER SIDE NOTE: FOX ran a graphic showing to that point; the Patriots had run 49 plays – 19 for zero or negative yards. Incredible.)

The third quarter was over. Quite possibly, this was the fastest moving Super Bowl game ever. Even more amazing was looking up at the score and finding it still at 7-3 Patriots. If you had the “over” in this game (51), your money was as good as gone. Anyone who had “7” and “3” in the numbers pool was more than likely has cleaned up the money.

15 minutes remained in the season.

As the Patriots were set to punt to begin the fourth quarter, the Giants needed something, anything to get the offense out of the stagnation that New England’s defense had put them in.

It took one play to get it started. Manning found Kevin Boss (an old classic Giants play to the tight end) on a seam pattern down the field that went for 47 yards. Finally, that “something” I was looking for happened. Four plays later, on a play they have run at the goal line the last few years, Manning play faked a run to Bradshaw and found David Tyree on a short post for a five-yard touchdown pass.

Giants 10, Patriots 7

They had the lead now. Boss’s big reception sparked everything. As I was watching the game with my friends that have been with me since that first Sunday in January against Tampa, along with new ones that I made that night, erupted in cheer.

Upset was now officially in the air. The possibility that none of us realistically could have expected was now in front of us, just eleven minutes and five seconds away from happening.

All they had to do was hold on.

It was clear that Brady’s internal passing clock was shortening. He was hearing footsteps and their offensive line seems to have no clue how to stop the defensive front. They would get the ball back with 7:54 remaining, with a possible perfect season in the hands this generations version of Joe Montana.

As the clock continued to move and the Patriots methodically starting moving the ball up the field, I paused for a moment to think about the ending. All week, I had just asked for a good showing. Losing and playing respectable would have been fine for me. Besides, I never expected any of this. To me, this was a bonus. However, as Brady continued to find drive the ball deep into Giants territory, there was some words that Tom Coughlin had mentioned that rang true:

“Nobody remembers the Super Bowl loser.”

Thinking that, I realized how difficult a loss would be to take now. Dominating on defense the entire game, and holding them to 7 points. As the ball rested on the seven-yard line with 3:12 to go, all we were hoping for was to somehow, someway, stop them one more time.

Moss was the target on first-and-goal and Brady’s pass went wide.

On second-and-goal, James Butler knocked down a would-be catch by Wes Welker.

Now it was third down. A stop would force the Patriots to make a difficult decision. Go for it and risk

turning it over. Or kicking a field goal and rely on their defense to hold the Giants offense one more time and get the ball back.

Brady took the shotgun snap on third down. Corey Webster, who was covering Moss, slipped in the end zone and it was an easy touchdown with 2:42 remaining.

Patriots 14, Giants 10

Everyone around me went silent. There were cheers from the other side of the bar from those rooting for New England. My friend Mike was panicking, fearful of defeat. I could not allow myself to think it could end like this. Channeling some famous words Manning used in the Dallas game, I told him exactly what I felt was going to happen:

“We are going to take the ball…we are going to score…and we are going to leave time on the clock.”

This is what every fan of a team hopes for. You watch those old highlights the NFL shows and remember Joe Montana leading his 49ers 92 yards for the winning touchdown against the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII.

Now, all those years later, here it was. 83 yards separated the Giants from a possible championship and 2:39 left.

Manning’s first pass was an 11-yard throw to Toomer. After misfiring on his next two throws, the offense faced third down and long. Toomer again would make the catch, but came up a half-yard short of the marker. Jacobs (who had been quiet all game) just barely got the first down on fourth down to continue the drive.

Hope was still alive.

A scramble by Manning netted five yards followed by an incompletion. What would happen next is going to go down as one of the greatest plays in sports history.

It was third down. From the shotgun, Manning took the snap. As he moved up in the pocket, three Patriots appeared to converge on him for a sack. Improbably, he escaped the defenders and uncorked a deep ball down the middle of the field. Leaping up was David Tyree, coming down with the pass with his right hand on the ball that was being held by his helmet as he went to the ground with safety Rodney Harrison tugging away at him.

All I could around me was “Holy Shit…he caught it!” I did not think he caught the ball at first, so there was no actual reaction. On questionable plays like that, I assumed the referees were going to review the play to be sure. However, it was signaled “good catch” and the game clock kept moving as the offense was rushing up to the line.

I was curious to hear how Bob Papa described this play on the radio.

Manning take the snap…back to throw…under pressure…avoids the rush…and he’s going to fight out of it…still fights out of it…now throws it deep downfield…wide open Tyree who…MAKES THE CATCH!... at the 24 yard line!...what a play by Manning!…he eluded three sacks…he runs up to Mike Carey and calls a timeout…and what a catch by Tyree with 58 seconds to go.

Unreal.

Two plays later, the Giants faced another third down, this time needing 11 yards. From the shotgun, Manning rolled right and found Smith on the right sideline. Having the presence of mind, he was able to get the extra three yards for the first down at the Patriots 14-yard line.

At this point, I knew the game was there to be taken now. They were 14 yards away from a possible championship. They were right on the doorstep ready to kick it down.

40 seconds showed on the clock. If you really did not believe before, you could not help but to jump on the bandwagon now.

Once again, Manning operated from the shotgun. Belichick decided to send an all out blitz in hopes of forcing an errant throw. He spotted Plaxico Burress, playing on one good leg, badly beating his defender Ellis Hobbs and was all alone in the end zone with 35 seconds remaining.

Giants 17, Patriots 14

Papa: Manning calling signals…takes the snap…looks left…lobs it left…Burress is wide open…TOUCHDOWN GIANTS!…in the left corner of the end zone!…with 35 seconds to go…and the Giants regain the lead!

I had no clue that it was only Burress’ second catch of the night at the time. He caught the first pass of the game and quite fittingly caught the last. The once regarded malcontent battled injuries all season and now was set to be a Super Bowl hero.

Eli Manning, the quarterback who many fans thought would more than likely lead the Giants to the Toilet Bowl, showed the cool confidence of man who was never flustered. Thoughts of him lacking fire, leadership skills or overall talent extinguished. Maybe his whole “ah sucks” persona really has been a mirage all along.

Euphoria ensued all over the place. How sure did I feel that the Giants were going to score? I broke out the video portion of my camera and captured the play and my reaction. The jubilance was so great that my camera was in my hand and I did not show the reaction of everyone celebrating.

Only three “euphoric reaction” moments I have in my sporting life:

1. Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS against the Red Sox when Jorge Posada got that hit in the eighth against Pedro Martinez and then Aaron Boone hit that homerun.

2. Stephane Matteau’s goal in Game 7 of the Eastern Finals for the Rangers against the New Jersey Devils.

3. Larry Johnson’s four-point play against the Indiana Pacers in 1999 at The Garden.

Still…it was not over.

Looking at the TV, I saw there was still 35 seconds to go. There was plenty of time for Brady and his troops to move down and get into field goal range considering they still had three timeouts.

I began to tell people not to look ahead just yet.

“THIS IS NOT OVER!” I remember saying.

“These are still the Patriots!”

Over their dynastic run, New England has always been able to snatch victory from defeat. As the ball rested on the 25 yard line with now 29 seconds to go, this was one final chance to not only derail history, but create some for ourselves. Just like the Dallas game a few weeks ago, it was on the defense to make one final stand.

Brady’s first down pass was incomplete down the right side. Aaron Ross could have picked off the pass, but the receiver was not within range to catch the ball

One down, three to go. 25 seconds left

On second down, pressure came again and Brady was driven down for a sack by rookie Jay Alford (yes, Jay Alford!) for a ten yard loss. It was a punishing sack. Guard Russ Hochstein never had a chance.

At this exact moment, I knew they had it. It was only a matter of time now.

Two down, two to go. 19 seconds left

On third down, Brady rolled to his right and uncorked a deep ball 70 yards downfield for Moss facing double coverage. Corey Webster was able to deflect it just enough to make it incomplete. Moss had a finger on the ball, but Webster, who had been great all playoffs long, made another tremendous play.

Three down, one to go. 10 seconds left

Needing 20 yards, the Giants played most of their defenders back. Brady took the shotgun snap and stepped up in the pocket. He threw another deep pass down the left sideline. Double coverage was there and Gibril Wilson knocked it away out of bounds.

Game over.

Final – Giants 17, Patriots 14

It was over.

Bob Papa’s words in the moment captured everything:

And that is it…the New York Giants…have knocked off the New England Patriots 17-14…as Tom Coughlin gets a Gatorade bath…they get a final stand on the great Tom Brady…and the Giants with the most improbable win in recent memory have won Super Bowl XLII!

The celebration was on. Hugging and jumping around screaming, “We’re World Champions!”

History had been derailed and a different kind of history had been written.

This was our version of the Miracle on Ice. This was our version of Villanova beating Georgetown. Our Douglas-Tyson. Now, the Giants had pulled off a victory that ranks with all of those.

Spagnuolo had orchestrated the greatest defensive game plan in the history of football. Better then Belichick against Buffalo. Better than the Raiders against the Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII. My formula, which was simply a theory going into the game to slow them down, was successful:

Play “clock ball” – The Giants only marginally 30:27 to 29:33. Little did I know the defense would play out of this world.

Limit New England’s possessions – Nine possessions as I hoped. Four of those drives lasted four plays or less.

Stop the Patriots on third down – New England was seven for 14. Sure, they hit on a few plays, but not enough to sustain drives and hurt the Giants.

Amazing.

No one could really believe it. Perhaps the dream would end like most do, the sun would be up, and it would all be for nothing. Just some wacky thought that you never think would happen. To realize that it was real and it could never be taken away.

People that I did not know were now coming up to congratulate me and my other friends. To them, I could not give much of response except to say, “Thank you” and proceed to give them a hug.

Suddenly, our fan base had expanded to more than just a few newly found friends. We shared a bond that we could tell for the rest of our lives. Seeing the team on the platform accepting the Vince Lombardi trophy we again asked ourselves the same question:

“Can you believe this?”

We still could not.

There will be other championship teams in the future. Some of them will be considerably better than this 2007 World Champion Giants team. Nothing (and no team), will ever, ever replicate this. I thought about several players:

Michael Strahan, a veteran of 15 years, finally a champion.

Amani Toomer, like Strahan, had seen the franchises dark days. Now, he too was a champion.

Jeff Feagles, a veteran of over 20 years, celebrating this championship with his family.

I then began to think of my past growing up with this team.

My first Giants game was when I was six years old when they played the Denver Broncos in a massive snow game at old Mile High Stadium. Gary Reasons stopped Bobby Humphrey cold at the goal line on fourth down at the one-yard line to seal a victory.

I officially became a fan that day and began taking an interest in the team. I remember the Flipper Anderson game (a divisional playoff loss to the Rams) like it was yesterday.

They won the Super Bowl the next year and after Phil Simms and Lawrence Taylor retired, the lean years existed (also known as the Dave Brown/Kent Graham era). As a young kid, I began to lose interest as the Yankees took precedent.

When they made the Super Bowl again in the 2000 season, it was not the same because I did not feel they had a chance.

I was still just a casual watcher (nothing serious), but in 2002 everything changed. The game they lost in San Francisco in the playoffs told me how much I still cared for them.

A few years later, in Seattle, Jay Feely missed three field goals in a game the Giants should have won that was heartbreaking. From that moment on, I was officially “back”.

Like a game of Texas Hold ‘Em, I was “all in”.

Now, here we all were (and me all these years later) on this night hugging and celebrating with bottles of champagne flowing. At that moment, we all began to realize that all of the agita that came with watching these games was now all worth it. It does not get any better than this.

For the foreseeable future, these games will not be the same anymore. Tension and anxiety is what made these games fun. Since that is now gone, what is there left to play for? Will I be upset when they lose? Probably not.

At least I can say I just part of the ride. To be a part of one of the most memorable journeys in the history of my sporting life.

I will never forget it.

MLB Talk: The ascension of Dustin Pedroia and instant replay is finally here

Pedro shining bright

He comes up to the plate and you wonder if he would even meet the height requirement for rides at Six Flags.

There is nothing imposing about him at all. You would think he is a high school kid and will likely have to show ID at the liquor store until he is 40.

But when he swings the bat, everything changes.

Try throwing a fastball by him and he will find a way to smoke it somewhere for a base hit or more.

Throw him an off-speed pitch and he will fight it off and place it where a fielder cannot get to it.

Dustin Pedroia gives encouragement to all young baseball players growing up that have a dream about playing the game.

He is not the biggest or the strongest, but he gets more out of his talent and physical limitations than almost any other player does in baseball.

Since the beginning of June, Pedroia his hitting a blistering .380. For the year (as of Sunday), he is hitting .327 is on pace for 200 hits. His OPS (on base plus slugging) put him among the top second basemen in the sport.

Before the season started, the raging debate was whether he or Robinson Cano of the Yankees was the better second baseman in the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry.

Based on the results, Pedroia has grown a sizeable lead in this race despite not having one-fourth of Cano’s natural talent. While Cano continues to coast and drift, Pedroia continues to rise and thrive. Seemingly getting better everyday with each at bat and firmly entrenching his career as a Red Sox.

You would think that because of his height, he would be overmatched at the plate, but he never is. His long, looping swing look like something you would see in 16-inch softball as opposed to the major leagues. Yet, it works for him. It has worked for him since he was in high school, at Arizona State, and now in Boston.

Going into Sunday afternoon’s game with the White Sox, Pedroia had gotten a hit in his last nine plate appearances (9 for 9) to continue his torrid pace.

As he continues to produce and lead the Red sox on to the playoffs, more attention is set to be made of their diminutive second baseman.

He is a great baseball story, one that all can be happy for.

Replay is here!

On Thursday, Major League Baseball officially instituted the use of instant replay in all ballparks.

As I said months ago, this is a long time coming. Never before has a game that had the technology to correct errors, be so stubborn not to use it.

The parameters are only for home runs now, but make no mistake that with each passing controversy with a play that is not a home run, more and more calls for expanding the boundaries for replay will increase.

And why not?

If a runner is safe at first base and is called out, why is that not reviewable?

If an outfielder is ruled to have caught the ball and a replay shows that he trapped the ball and the opposing believes the same, why is that not reviewable?

The biggest joke in baseball umpiring is the term “judgment call”. Right now, umpiring is a joke to begin with. All one has to do is watch the fluctuating strike zone on a nightly basis to see the problem.

Of course, you could not check every disputed call. But why not use the NFL’s “challenge rule” and allow the manager to dispute two calls per game. Because there are no timeouts you can take away, it is very difficult to come up with a penalty for being wrong and wasting several minutes of our time.
The ultimate penalty would be taking away an out, but baseball would never in a million years install that.

Could you imagine if there were two outs and two men on base and a runner was ruled out on a bang-bang play at first, the manager challenges the play and loses?

Inning over.

All signs point to this coming into play at some point in these last few weeks of the season and in the playoffs.

What baseball chooses to do to expand on this is anyone’s guess.

Random Baseball Thoughts

This may be going underreported, but the Milwaukee Brewers are working CC Sabathia into the ground.

After his complete game, one hit, eleven-strikeout performance against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Sabathia has improved to 9-0 with a 1.43 ERA and 6 complete games in his 11 starts since joining the club.

However, take a look at his pitch counts in these last ten starts:

117, 96, 130, 114, 103, 109, 124, 106, 110, 122

In several of these games, he could have been taken out with the Brewers having a sound lead.

He is on pace to again throw over 250 innings going into the playoffs.

While this may earn CC a few more million in his next contract, the Brewers ought to take a cue from the playoffs last year to see that the innings pitched caught up with him when October came around.
If Sabathia has postseason problems, do not blame it on him. Rather a team that will likely not resign him is simply getting everything (and I mean everything) out him that they can.

How are the Los Angeles Dodgers under .500?

The Tampa Bay Rays are dismissing the notion of “Oh, we were injured so we had no chance” excuse.

Evan Longoria, Carl Crawford and Troy Percival have all gone down with injuries and the Rays continue to win. They are on pace to win 100 games.

It is perhaps the best team story to happen in baseball since the 1969 New York Mets.

Speaking of the Mets…it is unbelievable that they have lost nine games when leading after eight innings.

This has never happened in the history of baseball to a very good team, and without Billy Wagner (who knew Mets fans would miss him?), the number only seems to go up.

I would have said the NL East race would be over if they had just won those games and then I forget that they blew a seven game in September to the Phillies.

By the way, does anyone find it to be a coincidence that both Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado’s performances mysteriously spiked up the moment Willie Randolph was fired?

Delgado is now playing like an MVP caliber player. Have you seen his great defense lately? I do not know what has happened.

It sure seems as if those two went all “Vince Carter” on the Mets, but the fans seemingly do not care because now the team is winning and they are the main contributors.

Does it seem that outside of Brad Lidge, the average age of the Philadelphia Phillies relievers is 65?

Is AARP available?

AJ Burnett is the biggest tease in baseball unless he is facing the Yankees.

If you took those starts away, his ERA would hover over 5.00.

Obviously, someone is hitting this guy.

The downfall of Justin Verlander this season is a mystery.

The Chicago Cubs may be the playing like the best team in baseball, but come October, they are going to find out how much different the games are.

As a lineup that concentrates a lot of drawing walks and working the count, that all goes out of the window the moment a good pitcher is on the mound that happens to throw strikes.

This is why the Arizona Diamondbacks are a tricky first round opponent if they meet up.

Getting through the National League playoffs is going to be more difficult that any of their fans know.

You mean to say the Mets would not feel confident if they showed up in Wrigley Field for the NLCS and they have Johan Santana lined up to pitch in Game 1, followed up by Mike Pelfrey and Oliver Perez, with Pedro Martinez waiting?

If the Cubs were to fall in either round, it would not be an upset. Cubs fans will treat it as such, but it will not be.

Yankee Talk – Rivalry Edition: As Yanks continue to fall, fans back to their hate relationship with ARod

No one really thought this discussion would be coming up again.

In 2007, it was thought to have been a breakthrough.

Alex Rodriguez, by virtue of his performance, and his knack for hitting game changing and game winning home runs, had earned the fans love and admiration.

It had been a long time coming.

Four years into the orchestrated marriage had seen the worst of times and the best of times.

Despite not having the greatest of postseasons, Yankee fans had reason to believe that a corner had been turned and that the drama of the past had finally been put aside.

Then ARod opted out of his contract during Game 4 of the World Series.

He went searching for the highest dollar and could not find any takers. Seeing the mistake he had created, he came running back to the Yankees and the team embraced him with a contract to the tune of $275 million.

Even during this 2008 season, he continued to receive among the loudest of cheers whenever he would step up to the plate. Though not having the same production, many looked on and thought it only to be natural based off the uber-season he had the year before.

As the Yankees continued to stumble their way through the season, it was being overlooked that Rodriguez was not being very productive with runners in scoring position. In previous seasons, this would have been immediate fodder for talk radio, message boards and internet blogs.

Tuesday night with the season on the brink in a crucial series with Boston, the fans that had been seeing this same old story, finally ended their season long silence.

In the fifth inning, with the Yankees trailing 6-2 and runners on first and second with one out, Rodriguez, with his team in desperate need of a big hit, lifted a shallow fly to center that did not move the runners and a scattering of boos came from the crowd.

He had already grounded into a double play in his previous at bat, now this. In his first 92 games, Rodriguez had grounded into only four double plays.

Now, with the season in serious peril, he was coming up small. In the last 19 games, he had hit into eight double plays. Consistently killing rallies and compounding the team’s offensive struggles.

In the seventh inning, almost by coincidence, the Yankees loaded the bases trailing 7-3 and the moment once again found Rodriguez.

A feeling of dread was in the air. You would never say this about most great baseball players.

But with this man, this stench exists. You do not hear it with David Ortiz, Albert Pujols or Manny Ramirez. However, it exists on such an exorbitant level with this one player.

His failures in the postseason are enough to create a montage. Pick the game and the situation and you can refer to him failing in a big spot.

Justin Masterson of the Red Sox was on the mound in relief. Two pitches later, Rodriguez hit a weak ground ball for another double play and this time boos rained down on him as loud they ever have before.

Perhaps it was a manifestation of the frustration that the fans have been feeling the whole season with the entire team. They had seen bad at bats, terrible approaches at the plate in run scoring situations and an inability to produce all season. Here was just another example and the fans could not hold in their frustration and anger any longer.

Just like that, we were back to 2006 all over again.

In the eighth inning, while fielding a groundball Rodriguez heard another loud chorus of boos. I refer to it as “The Petr Nedved treatment” where he would be booed mercilessly as a member of the New York Rangers whenever he would touch the puck.

The fans seem to have had it with ARod again.

Thursday brought more of the same.

He went 0 for4 with three strikeouts and boos intensified with each one. It was again at its worst in the fifth inning where Rodriguez popped out to Jason Varitek with runners on first and third with one out.

This does not figure to end anytime soon.

With each passing loss and the inevitability of a non-playoff year, this old-new issue between the fans and ARod figures to resurface on a full time basis.

His statistics look fine on paper. However, as some people fail to realize, baseball games are not won on paper. When you look deeper and realize the following numbers:

Less than .240 with RISP
3 RBI’s after the seventh inning
One for 10 with the bases loaded.

Those speak for themselves. You can talk about small sample sizes, but hitters do not get 600 chances to come through in those situations.

It is enough to make one conclude that his performance last year was primarily due to being motivated by a new contract as opposed to succumbing to the “pressure” that comes with playing for the Yankees.

No one will be surprised to see him go on a tear the last two or three weeks once it appears the team is eliminated from playoff contention. By doing that, at the end of the day, he will be able to look at his numbers and say, “Hey, it was not my fault. I put up my numbers”.

Part of the problem is that they have a few guys like that on the roster and Rodriguez is the poster boy.

He cannot complain about poor treatment anymore. That talk ceased the moment he willingly opted out of his contract after last season and put his John Hancock on a ten-year $275 million extension, with incentives that can take it up to $300 million.

The moment that happened, he officially waived his right to complain about any treatment or the high expectations that have been placed on him. If he could not accept that, he should have taken lesser money and go play in another city.

He chose not to, and so he must take everything that comes with playing for the Yankees, including the criticism.

For the next nine years, both the fans and ARod are married together. They will either sink or swim together. He will be revered if they win a championship. Or, ARod will be the modern day Dave Winfield.

In the mean time, the fans are going to let their voices be heard until Alex consistently puts this issue to rest.

If he does not, Yankee fans are set to make his life a living hell again.

But at least he has $275 million reasons to tune it all out.

Yankee Talk – Rivalry Edition: Yanks delay inevitable taking Game 3 from Sawx

If this really was the final game in Yankee Stadium between these two long time rivals, it was only fitting that the Yankees closed it out with a victory.

The win does not do much for them in the standings as much as it simply gives them another day to breathe. Make no mistake, the inevitable is coming. It is just a matter of time before the door is finally shut on the season.

For one day though, they reached down when it appeared they would go weakly into the night and rallied from a 2-0 seventh inning deficit.

Jason Giambi, the scorn of many Yankee fans for his .203 average this season with runners in scoring position, hit a game tying home run to center field. In the ninth inning, he followed that up by lining a single to left center off Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon to give the Yankees a 3-2 win to salvage the final game of the three game series.

The win put them now six games behind Boston with 29 games to play.

Staging a comeback of that type is nearly impossible. Of course, the New York Mets last year staged the biggest collapse in the history of baseball choking a seven game lead with 17 games to play.

However, the Red Sox are not the Mets.

Mike Mussina earned a tough luck no decision. He pitched outstanding; giving up two runs on five his in seven strong innings to lower his ERA to 3.41. He remains four wins from the elusive 20 that he has looking for his entire career.

It appeared as if Red Sox starter Jon Lester was going to notch his 13th win of the season. After struggling with his control early, he settled down and was fooling and overpowering the Yankees lineup as he has in two previous starts this season.

But in the seventh inning and with Lester’s pitch count at 119 after giving up a two out double to Cody Ransom, manager Terry Francona pulled him in favor of setup man Hideki Okajima. Girardi, seeing that, pinch hit catch Jose Molina with Giambi.

With the season almost all but lost, he had nothing to lose. On a 0-1 pitch, Giambi connected on a home run to dead center field to tie the game.

In the eighth inning with two out, Girardi, still in “save the season” mode, called on Mariano Rivera to keep the game tied with Kevin Youkilis at the plate.

Youkilis would fly out to center.

After Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth inning, the Yankees set out to win the game.

Xavier Nady led off with a single and Brett Gardner came in to pinch run. After Robinson Cano lined out, Gardner stole second with Hideki Matsui at the plate.

Matsui was intentionally walked. Ivan Rodriguez then worked a walk to load the bases. Into the game entered Jonathan Papelbon, which went to show how much the Red Sox wanted to kill any chances of the Yankees making a comeback in the final month.

Giambi stepped in, and on a two strike pitch laced a single to left center to win the game.

While it would be nice to say that this live saver could give them confidence, there is too much visual evidence this season to conclude that once again this is all a tease. A lineup that features five hitters, near or above hitting .300, still has problems scoring.

Three-fifths of the rotation is a question each time they go out to the mound. Today, news came that when Joba Chamberlain returns, he will be used out of the bullpen and not in the starting rotation. That alone should raise red flags about the real severity of his injury.

For one day though, they could smile and hold their heads up high.

Just before the frowns and long faces settle back in.

Yankee Talk: Death march continues as Sawx drill Yanks in Game 2

The jabs are becoming sledgehammer blows.

To coin boxing terminology, the Yankees are up against the ropes and the Red Sox are determined to knock them out.

With the team not showing any signs of fighting back, there appears to be no stopping what is becoming “Bronx Massacre 2008”.

Boston took the second game of the series 11-3 from the Yankees in game that saw the offense once again unable to generate runs against soft tosser Paul Byrd, and saw their bullpen break down in the face of a seven run eighth inning.

Sidney Ponson did not pitch poorly, but it is becoming increasing evident that the amount of good starts left on his card has run out. He gave up seven hits and four runs in 4 2/3 innings tonight.

Byrd, as he did in Game 4 of last season’s American League Division Series when he was with the Cleveland Indians, kept the Yankees at bay and never cracked. Using the team’s tenseness at the plate against them, he threw six innings of two run, five hit ball and left the game with his team leading 4-2.

In the eighth inning, the Red Sox exploded. After Edwar Ramirez and Damaso Marte kept the lead at two runs, Jose Veras came on struggled from the outset.

Jason Bay tripled home Kevin Youkilis on a deep fly to right center that bounced off the wall to make it 5-2. After two walks, Alex Cora hit a sac fly to make it a four-run lead.

David Robertson came into the game and yielded an RBI single to Jacoby Ellsbury. He would follow that up by giving up a grand slam to Dustin Pedroia that proved to be the knockout blow and gave Boston an 11-2 advantage.

The bullpen, once strength, is now feeling the effects of having to cover up for a rotation that has been injured and unable to go deep into games for most of the season. In the last five games, they have logged 21 1/3 innings, a tremendous amount for even the best of relief cores.

Boston now leads the Yankees by seven games in the wild card race.

Coming in, Joe Girardi and the team talked about the importance of winning this series, if not sweeping it. That talk can cease now. What would have been problematic would have been if they lost this series, and a death knell would have been if they were swept.

The possibility of a sweep is in play now even with Mike Mussina taking the ball on Thursday.

Offensively, the team has given its pitchers minimal run support. Add to it, the team’s inability this season to hit Red Sox starter Jon Lester, a loss tomorrow seems almost inevitable.

A Yankee-less October becomes more and more realistic with each passing day. No signs of change appear to be on the horizon with a team that is only eight games over .500 and has only won one series since winning the first two games from Boston at Fenway Park just over one month ago.

The death march continues.

All it takes now is the Red Sox to put the final dirt on the grave.

Yankee Talk - Rivalry Edition: Boos show up for ARod; Pettitte struggles as Sawx take Game 1

The 2008 season has had its fair share of “that was our season in a nutshell” moments.

In a year full of them, it was only fitting that the Yankees added a few more to an already glittering resume.

When Alex Rodriguez grounded into his second double play in the seventh inning, even the crowd, who had been on side the entire season, finally vented their frustration. It may not have been directed only at Alex, but also the team as a whole and this entire season that has filled with inconsistency, miscues and downright horrific execution.

The Yankees lost to the Red Sox 7-3, in a game that looked like many others this season. It is to the point where a fan just looks at the team and is resigned to the teams play and eventual result.

Andy Pettitte, who had the clear pitching advantage over Tim Wakefield going into the night, did not have his best stuff. Some of that can be attributed to the home plate umpire (Jim Reynolds) who was clearly squeezing the strike zone, forcing him throw many more pitches that normal.

Regardless, Pettitte still had problems getting outs a Red Sox that did not feature Manny Ramirez (traded), Mike Lowell and JD Drew (disabled list). Instead, it included Jed Lowrie, Coco Crisp, Kevin Cash and Jeff Bailey - an inflated AAAA lineup.

He lasted only 4 and 2/3 innings, allowing ten hits and six runs.

The play will go down among the “Yankees top five boneheaded plays” of the year happened in the fifth inning.

With two men out and runners on second and third, Jeff Bailey hit a hard chopper that ricocheted off the third base bad and right to Rodriguez. ARod’s throw to first was not in time to get Bailey and Lowrie scored. Taking the chance, Coco Crisp came around third base to score. Jason Giambi bluffed a throw home under the impression the runner was out and simply held on to the ball, allowing Crisp to score uncontested to turn what was 4-2 into a 6-2 Red Sox lead.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Yankees looked to answer. Johnny Damon homered for the second time to make it 6-3, and they had first and second with one out. Once again, as it has been all season, both Rodriguez and Giambi would fail to deliver. Rodriguez flied out to shallow center, which drew some rare boos. Giambi popped out to Dustin Pedroia to end the threat.

The Yankees are now six games behind the Red Sox in the wild card race. All of the good feelings that came from the Baltimore have been washed away.

Sidney Ponson takes the ball tomorrow against Paul Byrd for the Red Sox. With the specter of losing this series very possible tomorrow, it appears the nails are slowing tightening in the Yankee coffin.

One nail at a time.

Yankee Talk: Rivalry Edition – Expanded Coverage

As the Yankees and the Red Sox prepare to resume hostilities starting Tuesday night at The Stadium, I will be stepping up my analysis of the series with a few special editions of Yankee Talk.

I’ll include a game recap and a few features after each game.

Let “The Rivalry” continue.

Yankee Talk: Make or break time begins as The Rivalry renews Tuesday in The Bronx

The Yankees have been holding that slowly breaking rope for most of this 2008 season. Over time, the rope has chipped away and it appeared as if it might break at any moment.

However, the Yankees have still been able to hang on, though the strength of that rope is tenuous at best.

Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium, the team will attempt (once again) to salvage what has been a lost season against the Red Sox, whom they trail in the Wild Card standings (along with the Minnesota Twins) by five games.

With the 32 games remaining, the math is very simple and time is dwindling. A loss in this series severely decreases their chances for a making a September push for the postseason. Winning the series would put them four games back with slightly over a month to play. A sweep of Boston would put the Yankees only two games back and put them within striking distance giving the team the boost of confidence they desperately need despite sweeping the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards this past weekend.

With Andy Pettitte, Sidney Ponson and Mike Mussina lined up against the Red Sox trio of Tim Wakefield, Jon Lester and Paul Byrd, winning two out of three should be expected.

However, when it comes to The Rivalry, anything can happen and usually does.

For the Yankees, they have received surprisingly good pitching, but have had myriads of problems scoring runs. Playing in Camden Yards allowed the bats to break out, but we have to see a sustainable period of consistent offense from the team. How this can be is anyone guess, and it has gone on for too long this season to be looked at as an aberration.

Think of what most teams are putting out there on a nightly basis and compare that to this lineup:

CF –Damon
SS – Jeter
RF – Abreu
3B – A. Rodriguez
1B – Giambi
LF – Nady
DH – Matsui
2B – Cano
C – I. Rodriguez

No team in baseball can put out a lineup like that, which is why it was amazing that on Tuesday, the lineup allowed AJ Burnett to spin an eight inning, one run, five hit performance with 13 strikeouts.

Added to the problems on offense, there have been too many “that play symbolizes the season” moments. It has been enough to create a highlight reel DVD with extras.

One can only hope the final 32 games can end this charade. If it does not, then the final few games at Yankee Stadium will seem like a funeral procession.

For the next three games though, the Stadium will be jumping. It will be the final time the Red Sox and Yankees will be meeting at Yankee Stadium in the regular season.

Faces, situations and stadiums may change but The Rivalry remains in tact.

Manny Ramirez, one of the main characters in this never-ending novel, is now bashing baseballs out in Los Angeles. Josh Beckett would have started this week, but pushed back because of a hand injury. Jon Papelbon, who became Yankee fans “numero uno” on the hate list, makes his return to the place that booed him mercifully at the All Star Game last month.

Newcomers Ivan Rodriguez and Jason Bay gets to experience The Rivalry for the first time as a Yankees and Red Sox. Jon Lester has emerged as a new face. Both Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte got a small taste of it at Fenway Park last month and may have been overwhelmed. Now they know what to expect.

There are six games left between these two teams. It is time for the Yankees to make a stand. No more slipping and sliding.

Let’s get it on.

Random Yankee Thoughts

I liked the move of getting Pudge Rodriguez a few weeks ago for Kyle Farnsworth. Right now, Pudge is doing no worse than Jose Molina.

In 46 AB’s, he his hitting .217 with one RBI.

Hell, Molina could have done that. Add to it that Andy Pettitte has requested that Pudge not catch him during his starts.

Not a good way to start.

Xavier Nady Update: Through Sunday since joining the Yankees

.320, 8 HR, 23 RBI, .993 OPS

I take back all the negative things I said about him prior to his arrival. Maybe he will not hit .260 as I predicted.

Johnny Damon in centerfield scares me.

Welcome back Hideki Matsui. You presence in the lineup was missed.

That does not mean I want you on the team next year.

I thought Jason Giambi was going without the ‘stache.

Apparently not.

Within one week, it grew back.

Joba Chamberlain is in rehab right now and is expecting to return in September.
Why risk his health for this season? Shut him down and let him prepare for next year completely.

I get a chuckle every time I see left-handed hitters frozen when Mariano Rivera’s cutter touches the outside corner for a called strike three.

In his first game back in AAA, Melky Cabrera went 1 for 1 with four walks. Apparently, they had not been watching the video of him in the majors.

The Babe Ruth of AAA ball.

Cody Ransom in his first Yankees at bat, hit a homerun last Sunday against Kansas City.

In his second at bat on Friday against the Orioles, he hit a three-run homer.

Two at bats and two home runs.

What a great way to start as a Yankee.

Giants Talk: Retrospective Edition – Tynes’ kick is one for history

No kicker had incurred more pessimism from me over the course of a season than Lawrence Tynes. His two misses in the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship had confirmed my feelings. With one kick in overtime, Tynes not only connected on sending the Giants to the Super Bowl, but as I reflect, he also may have connected on possibly the greatest field goal kick in history.


It was fourth down and five at the Green Bay Packers 31 yard line.

After undergoing what I have seen the last 30 minutes, there was no way I wanted to see what was about to take place.

Tom Coughlin, face frozen as a red cherry, trotted kicker Lawrence Tynes back on the field for what would be a 47-yard field goal attempt.

With the game tied at 20 and 6:49 left, Tynes hooked a field goal to the left.

At the end of regulation, long snapper Jay Alford’s snap was high, but holder Jeff Feagles got the ball in good kicking position. Unfortunately, Tynes completely hooked it about ten yards left of the uprights.

Bob Papa on the radio described it best:

“Tynes completely whiffed on it.”

Here they were again; with a kicker whose confidence perhaps was clearly shaken at this point was coming onto the field again for a third chance.

As Giants fans, we had seen this situation play out three years earlier. In a game at Seattle in 2005, Jay Feely missed three goals (once at the end of regulation and twice in overtime) and the Giants went on to lose to the Seahawks, thus ruining any chance for home field advantage that season.

Last year, Tynes was the goat of the Kansas City Chiefs playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Three times in the first half, he was given a chance to put points on the board as they tried to pull the upset.

All three times, he missed.

Eventually, the Colts went on to win and Tynes was released.

The percentages were clearly not in his favor as they lined up for this third attempt.

On the road, in extreme subzero temperatures where kicking a football was tantamount to a block of ice, and having already missed two field goals, it was not looking good.

As I was with friends watching this drama play out that had reached Academy Award worthy, all I did was throw up my hands in disgust wondering why they were going this route again. He had already missed two shorter kicks. Why in the world do you think this mental case would make a longer kick now?

Like one of those horror movies, I chose to watch with one open and the other covered up.

The snap from Alford was perfect. Feagles placed the ball perfectly and Tynes boomed it into the air. As it carried, all you could hear was silence both where I was and in Lambeau Field.

Slowly, the ball was making its descent and it appeared to have the distance. The cynic in me was waiting for it to hit the crossbar. Instead, it cleared through to send the Giants to the Super Bowl.

It was the unlikeliest of outcomes.

The team stormed the field and Tynes sprinted in celebration to the Giants tunnel with his right hand in the air to signify victory.

It was redemption for everyone, but most of all, for Tynes. He had just made the greatest kick in his career to send the Giants to the Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.

Where does Tynes’ kick rank in the history of football?

If you consider all of the circumstances going into that kick; the fact that he had already missed two a short time ago, one of those being at the end of regulation. Also, considering that this was on the road and in temperatures reaching minus 25, how could you not rank this as the greatest field goal in the history of football?

There have been a few memorable kicks in playoff games and Super Bowls. Jimmy O’Brien won Super Bowl V for the Baltimore Colts against the Dallas Cowboys. Adam Vinatieri had the field goal in the “Snow Bowl” for the New England Patriots against the Oakland Raiders and then again two weeks later to win the Super Bowl against the heavily favored St. Louis Rams.

None of these was done under the same circumstances that faced Tynes. Had he missed that kick, he would have been right back on the unemployment line. Ask Doug Brien (who missed two potential game winning field goals in an eventual 2004 AFC Divisional playoff game for the New York Jets against the Pittsburgh Steelers) how that feels.

Scott Norwood of the Buffalo Bills was never able to show his face after hooking his field goal “wide right” in Super Bowl XXV.

Tynes would have been cut by the Giants. Based off his performance in the playoffs the previous season, he may very easily have been out of the NFL completely.

There will never be another kick another these same conditions ever again. While game winning kicks will still be around in the future, none will have more impact and long lasting effect than Tynes’ game winner will have in Green Bay on dark, freezing cold night in January.

It was where redemption became history.

Giants Talk – Retrospective Edition: The magical road to the Super Bowl finds its way through Lambeau and the cold

Fighting bitterly cold temperatures, a Hall of Fame quarterback and sometimes their own damn ineptitude, the Giants somehow defied the odds and kicked their way (literally) to the Super Bowl while nearly giving me a (sports) heart attack in the process.

Originally written January 21, 2008

Tell me this is really happening.

Shake me if you need to snap me out what I think is a glorified sports fantasy.

If sports gods truly exist, perhaps they are shining down on this football team. Maybe it is payback for the last 17 years of failures and heartbreak.

The words are going to come out, but they will not look right when I say it…

The New York Football Giants are going to the Super Bowl!

Yes, that is correct.

No, it is not a misprint. Accuracy exists within the previous statement.

It is not a joke.

Seriously, it is not.

22 days ago, if you would have told me that the New York Football Giants would find themselves in Arizona for Super Bowl XLII, I would have responded by asking if the players were buying tickets to watch the game from the stands.

Instead, here they are. Somehow, someway they got there. An improbable journey that no Giants fan could ever think was possible is now 60 minutes away from a world championship.

How did this happen? On the road, in Lambeau Field, against Brett Favre, one of the greatest quarterbacks of this generation, who himself was in the midst of his own magical season.

Surely, this was going to be something these Giants would not be able to overcome. How could they? All the odds were stacked against them. That was of course before the weather monitors read...let us check... -24 with the wind chill before the game.

All week, I had been wondering about the weather. Perhaps it was just a ploy by the Green Bay Packers and the state of Wisconsin to put the fear of the cold in the minds of the Giants and us fans in hopes of psyching us out. To be honest, it was working. I was nervous about this game the entire week. I was very confident the previous week against Dallas last Sunday because the two previous games were closer than the perception the media was trying to portray. To use an analogy from the game of dice, they had “rolled a seven” two weeks in a row against the Buccaneers and Cowboys. It was too much to ask for another one.

The percentages were just not on their side. In the end, this team just would not allow cold weather, history and a future Hall of Famer derail their trip to their ultimate and unlikely destination.

It took seven years to squash playoff demons in Tampa two weeks ago. The Giants followed that win with one of their greatest triumphs just seven days ago in Dallas. Now, here they were, in Green Bay, where they had lost in Week 2 of the season 35-14, looking to gain revenge as they did one week prior.

Brandon Jacobs immediately let the Packers know who the aggressors were going to be on the offense’s first possession. He took the handoff on first down and as cornerback Charles Woodson came charging in, Jacobs lowered his shoulder and trucked him right to the ground. It was a mammoth blow. Woodson was slow to get up and I was sure he was not going to risk his football life attempting to tackle number 27 in white and red the rest of the night.

One of the fears leading in the game was how Eli Manning was going to handle the weather conditions. It was no secret (and the statistical evidence proved it out) that his worst games had come when the weather was less than comfortable. As the Giants first two offensive endeavors were showing, Eli was not adversely affected by the outside elements.

The defense was slowing down the Packers, forcing them into punts. Offensively, they were moving the ball efficiently. After 18 minutes, the score was only 6-0. I was thinking and telling my group of friends, “There is no way this score is just 6-0. How can this be possible?”

It took just one play for the Packers to take the lead. After a muff on the kickoff that set them back to ten-yard line, Favre found Donald Driver on a broken coverage for a 90-yard touchdown pass. Corey Webster had the initial jam on Driver and when he got past him, Safety James Butler was to cover him over the top. Instead, the only thing Butler saw was Driver’s jersey as he made a futile attempt to chase him from behind.

Packers 7, Giants 6

Unbelievable. For all the control they seemed to have, the Giants were losing. How? Doubt was beginning to creep in my mind that perhaps it would not be our night. The Packers defense was too talented, and it was only time before Favre and his offense started to click.

Halftime - Packers 10, Giants 6

The Giants were in control of both sides of the ball. Only thing they did not control was the score on the board. Perhaps I should have been encouraged, but playing road playoff games never gives you the greatest of feelings when you feel your team should be winning.

A major bright spot was Plaxico Burress. He is still out there playing with one good ankle. Tonight though he is playing like a man possessed. He has seven catches for 106 yards. Al Harris, one of league’s best defenders has been helpless to stop him. Trying to intimidate him by bumping and clutching, Burress has made catch after catch and is playing one of his best games since becoming a Giant.

Twelve plays, 69 yards and over seven minutes into the third quarter, the Giants had retaken the lead on a one-yard touchdown run by Jacobs. The drive seemed to serve as a microcosm of the entire season. It was not artistry, but it was effective. No one would ever confuse them for having the skill of Picasso, but for them, it was a work of art.

Giants 13, Packers 10

With 5:28 left in the quarter, the defense had stopped the Packers on third down to force a field goal attempt. One problem…a personal foul penalty was called on Sam Madison for pushing a Packers player to the ground. Are you serious? They had done a great job of controlling the occasional idiocy that comes with watching the Giants. Now here, in the championship game, this nonsense was going to reappear.

Tell me this was not happening?

One play later, Favre connected on a twelve-yard touchdown pass to give the Packers the lead again.

Packers 17, Giants 13

This game was reaching critical mass. No way were the Packers supposed to be close in this game based on how it was being played. For all of the good play, the scoreboard showed them trailing by four points late in the third quarter. Several dropped passes and now mental mistakes were looking like they were going to play a role in the outcome.

Needing to respond again, they would fight back. Amani Toomer made a spectacular play dragging both of his feet inbounds at the twelve-yard line for a 23-yard catch. Two plays later, Ahmad Bradshaw exploded through the right side for a seven-yard touchdown to put the Giants back on top.

Giants 20, Packers 17

Back and forth, they were going now. The cold weather was not having any effect on Manning and the offense. In control of themselves they were and the Packers could do nothing about it. Green Bay still had problems consistently moving the ball. There were 15 minutes remaining, up by three and a trip to the Super Bowl at stake.

What would happen next likely sent most Giants fans to the cabinet in search of some Pepto Bismol, Tums, or whatever extra strength medicine could help you get through this.

At the 31-yard line, Favre faked a run and rolled out to his left looking for a receiver. He pump faked his throw, and eluded a possible sack from Osi Umenyiora and Barry Cofield. The pass hung in the air and was intercepted by R.W McQuarters at the seven-yard line. The game was in our possession now, with the lead and the ball as long as he went to the ground with the ball in his hands.

Unfortunately, that did not happen.

On the return of the intercept, McQuarters was hit at the 21-yard line and the ball came out. A unison chorus of “OH NO!” filled the room as the Packers recovered the fumble. This really could not be happening. Not now. A trip to the Super Bowl was potentially going to be lost because they could not control a game that was firmly in both arms.

It was a miracle that Green Bay was unable to capitalize on their newly found good fortune and had to settle for field goal. Heads were shaking and confidence was slowly eroding. A belief that they would seemingly “screw this up” began to permeate amongst ourselves along with every Giants fan watching on television.

Giants 20, Packers 20

Manning would once again lead the offense on another scoring drive in Packers territory. On fourth down, Lawrence Tynes came up to attempt a 39-yard field goal to give the Giants the lead. The kick hooked to the left and with 6:49 left, the game remained tied. If there was man I was concerned about more than any one else, it was Tynes. All season I had been skeptical of his ability. He was released from the Kansas City after last season. In the Wild Card playoff game against the Colts, he missed three makeable field goals for a kicker. Matt Bahr he was not. Now, in the biggest moment, a chance to take the lead in this game had sailed left because of Tynes’ right foot.

The defense forced another Packers punt. However, the Giants were unable to generate any sustainable yardage. Jeff Feagles would punt the ball back to Brett Favre with 2:48 to play in the game. Situations like this are what he thrives. FOX showed a graphic where 39 times he had led a game winning drive in both the fourth quarter and overtime. Not a good sign.

A Super Bowl appearance was at least 60 yards away and he would have to chance to do it again.

This time, it would not happen.

Green Bay went three plays and punted. Once again, the Giants would provide another one of those agita filled moments.

McQuarters fielded the punt at the Packers 48 and found a lane for extra yardage as he found his way inside the 40. Once again though he would lose the football and a scrum ensued near midfield. By fate of luck, Dominick Hixon miraculously fell on top of the ball to save not only the game, but the season as well. You cannot make this drama up. This type of stuff only happens in the movies, but you could not even write a script that would seem plausible even for that. It was probably only another few minutes before something else odd would happen.

Getting to the Super Bowl was not going to be easy. There was too much playing against us to make this happen.

2:15 was left and now the Giants had destiny in their hands. A 48-yard touchdown run by Bradshaw was called back due to spotty at best holding penalty. Two big receptions by Steve Smith and a key first down run by Bradshaw put the ball at the Packers 19 yard line with four seconds left. The game was going to come down to the right foot of Tynes again who had missed just over six minutes earlier.

The snap came from Jay Alford and it was a little high. Feagles got the ball down in position and Tynes’ right foot connected with the ball. Once again, the ball would curl badly to the left and a trip to Arizona was put on hold.

It was at this moment where all the fears of Giants fans had caught up to where mine where so long ago with Tynes. Two missed chances and now the feeling that the roof was about to cave in. They had played so well. In control of this game throughout. Now, overtime would commence.

Green Bay won the toss and Favre would be given another chance. With the exception of one big play and one major ridiculous penalty, the Giants defense rendered the Packers offense ineffective the entire game. Here again, Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo needed his defense to stop them and give the offense another chance to win the game that had now entered “ESPN Classic” status.

To me, it was only going to be rendered “Classic” if the correct team came out on top. An opposite turnout would result in the worst game I would have ever watched in my life. The meltdown in San Francisco five years prior would not be able to hold a candle to this.

On second down, Favre would run another play action pass and throw to the right side. His pass did not find his intended receiver Donald Driver, but rather cornerback Corey Webster. Webster had found redemption in this postseason with his great play in the two previous weeks. Here he was now making the biggest interception of his career at the Packers 34-yard line giving the Giants possession.

No one knows if this is Brett Favre’s last game as a Packer quarterback. If it is, the lasting memory that you will relieve is that final pass. When you go to the bar and play trivia games, the one question that will be asked is “Who caught Brett Favre’s last Green Bay pass?” The answer? Corey Webster.

It was now that I was hoping the Giants would score a touchdown. Two missed field goals had destroyed my confidence in Tynes. Had the field goal been from 20 yards away, I would not have had any trust in him making that. However, as Manning was unable to connect with Smith on third down and five, Coughlin had three options:

1. Punt the ball back.
2. Go for it on fourth down.
3. Send Tynes back out there again for a now 47-yard field goal attempt.

Options 1 and 3 did not look enticing. Going for it could have been a safe play considering the results that had played out on the field. However, I am not the coach. Coughlin decided to try to roll the dice with Tynes one more time. If he makes it, they go to the Super Bowl. If he misses, not only does not get on the plane ride back home, but he may be forced to walk from Lambeau Field home without any of his belongings.

I did not want to look at the kick for fear of the result. Alford’s snap was good. Feagles got the ball down in a good position. Tynes’ foot hit the ball well and it sailed in the air.

For a while, time seemed to stand still. Nothing else mattered. The ball continued to travel. What started out as a kick slightly to the right began to curve to the middle of the uprights. It kept carrying, and carrying and carrying.

Right through the uprights. It was good.

Final in overtime - Giants 23, Packers 20

It was 17 years to the day when in San Francisco, Matt Bahr nailed the game winning field goal to send the Giants to the Super Bowl and end the rein of the two time champion 49ers. Bahr wore number 9 for New York. All the years later, it was another number 9 doing the exact same thing.

Adulation and celebration ensued. It was all surreal. Something that no one could have ever expected less than one month ago had actually happened.

Much like the previous week, I wanted to hear how Bob Papa called this moment on the radio. I had always appreciated his work, but as these playoffs have played out, it is becoming clearer he is football’s best play-by-play man and I would not want to have anyone else behind the microphone for my team than him.

Papa: Alright here goes Tynes again…from 47 yards…to kick the Giants to the Super Bowl…snap is good…kick on its way…end over end…does it have the distance…it is GOOD!! Lawrence Tynes has kicked the Giants to the Super Bowl…after missing at the end of regulation…and Tynes runs into the tunnel to our left…and the New York Giants are going to Super Bowl XLII…in overtime they beat the Packers 23-20.

Frozen in time.

Who could have predicted that this team, originally looked at a bunch of big talking, unproductive misfits, who were more likely stub their toe then make the big play, showed everyone the heart, grit and passion that almost no one believed they had.

A team that had been through so much could now exhale and begin to celebrate. They were victorious winners. Next stop: Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Arizona.

Can they pull off the upset of all upsets against the New England Patriots? Anything is possible now. One month ago, none of this seemed feasible. Here they are, within one victory from becoming world champions.

It has truly been the Super Bowl road less traveled.

They had just won one the greatest football games I have ever seen.

Now they are going to play in the greatest game of them all in 13 days.

Super Sunday cannot come fast enough.